Brezhoneg Daoù/Lesson 7

[edit] Mutations

This lesson gives a full and rather complex view of mutations as exceptions are described together with the regular cases. For a more straightforward explanation please refer to the lesson in Brezhoneg Unan/Lesson 4

[edit] Definition

A mutation is the change of the first letter of a word according to different contexts.

Exemples :
     Mamm (mother) --> Ar vamm (the mother)
     Kozh (old)    --> Mamm gozh (Grand mother)

[edit] Table of mutations

Mutations in Breton obey to regular phonetics laws.

They are summarized in the table below (details to be found in the rest of this page) :

[edit] Mutations to soften ("dre vlotaat")

Soft mutation happens in the following cases :

• after a, da, daou, div, dindan, diwar, dre, e (possessive), eme, en em, en ur, hanter, holl, na, ne, pa, pe, re, war...
• after the article for the feminine singular words and the related adjective
• after the article for the masculine plural person names (except when the plural is in -où) and the related adjective

Please note :

• D will not mute after names
• K becomes C'H for names after the article when there is no other mutation
• P, T, K will not mute for adjectives when the related names ends by another letter than L, M, N, R or a vowel.

Soft Mutation will be noted (S!)
Following letters are affected:
B     becomes	V
D     becomes	Z
K     becomes	G
G     becomes	C'H
GW    becomes	W
P     becomes	B
M     becomes	V
T     becomes	D

Examples :

Breur (brother) gives Da vreur

Dant (tooth) gives Da zant

Glin (kneel) gives Da c'hlin

[edit] Mutations after the article

Here is a summary for mutations after the article :

Here is a presentation of the rules regarding the mutations after the aticle :

Go to the Quiz

[edit] Mutations of the adjective epithet

Here is a summary for mutations of the adjective epithet :

Here is a presentation of the rules regarding the mutations of the adjective epithet :

Go to the Quiz

[edit] Mutations to harden ("dre galetaat")

Hard mutation happens in the following cases :

• Possessive "ho" (yours)
• After "az, "ez", "'z" (you - sg.)
• After "da'z ..." (to yours ...)
• After "ez" (in yours ...)

Hard Mutation will be noted (H!)
Following letters are affected:
B     becomes	P
D     becomes	T
G     becomes	K

Examples :

Breur (brother) gives Ho preur

Dant (tooth) gives Ho tant

Glin (kneel) gives Ho klin

[edit] Mixed mutations

Mixed mutation happens in the following cases :

• Present participe

Formed by "o" + Verb.

• After verb particle "e"
• After "ma" (That)

Mixed Mutation will be noted (M!)
Following letters are affected:
B     becomes	V
D     becomes	T
G     becomes	C'H
GW    becomes	W
M     becomes	V

Examples :

Deskiñ (to learn) gives O teskiñ

Gortoz (to wait) gives O c'hortoz

[edit] Spirant mutations

Spirant mutation happens in the following cases :

• After "ma" or "va" (mine)
• After "he" (Hers)
• After "o" (Theirs)
• After numbers : tri, teir, pevar, peder, nav

Spirant Mutation will be noted (Sp!)
Following letters are affected:
P     becomes	F
T     becomes	Z
K     becomes	C'H

Examples :

Penn (head) gives Va fenn

Kador (chair) gives Va c'hador

[edit] Exceptions

[edit] Bloaz

Bloaz mutes into Vloaz after :

• Pet ?
• The cardinal numbers except after tri, pevar, pemp, nav

Exemple :

• Pet vloaz eo bremañ ? Daouzek vloaz.

• Pet vloaz eo bremañ ? Pemp bloaz.

[edit] Mintin

Mintin mutes into Vintin after :

• Weekday names
• Dec'h
• Warc'hoazh

Exemple :

Dilun vintin, warc'hoazh vintin.

[edit] Exercises

Go to the Quiz